Review: The Chief by Monica McCarty

Author: Monica McCarty

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date: March 2010

 An elite fighting force unlike the world has ever seen...
Scouring the darkest corners of the Highlands and Western Isles, Robert the Bruce handpicks ten warriors to help him in his quest to free Scotland from English rule. They are the best of the best, chosen for their superior skills in each discipline of warfare. And to lead his secret Highland Guard, Bruce chooses the greatest warrior of all.

The ultimate Highland warlord and a swordsman without equal, Tor MacLeod has no intention of being drawn into Scotland’s war against the English. Dedicated to his clan, the fiercely independent chief answers to no one—especially not to his alluring new bride, bartered to him in a bid to secure his command of the deadliest fighting force the world has ever seen. The treacherous chit who made her way to Tor’s bed may have won his hand, but she will never claim his heart.

Although her husband’s reputation is as fierce as his manner, Christina Fraser believes that something softer hides beneath his brutal shell. But the only warmth she feels is in their bed, in glorious moments of white-hot desire that disappear with the dawn. When Christina’s reckless bid to win her husband’s love goes awry and thrusts them into danger on the eve of war, Tor will face his ultimate battle: to save his wife and to open his heart—before it’s too late. 

I have had The Chief in my TRB pile forever. I'm so glad I finally listened to the audiobook.  It's been a while since I have read a highlander book.  This is the first book in a series about an elite team of warriors who are trained by the main character if this one to help Robert the Bruce to free Scotland from England.  This is Tor and Christina's story.  It is very much the first book in a series as it sets up all of the characters who will follow in later books.

I ended up really having a fun time with this book.  I loved Christina.  She had a lot of growth over the book.  While she wasn't really a weak woman in the beginning, she really does come more into her own and realizes her worth by the end of the book.  I loved how she stood up to Tor.  He took a bit more time for me to warm to.  There were a lot of moments where I just shook my head because he was just a dumb male.  I was rooting for him to get out of his won way and realize he could love without sacrificing his clan.  I really enjoyed watching the warriors who all came from different backgrounds slowly become a band of brothers (kind of).  

If you do read this, make sure you read the notes at the end of the book.  The author gives a bit of background on the history of the time and real life figures in the book.  I liked seeing what was based on truth and where she took liberty with timelines.  It gave me a better perspective on the politics and the stakes for the warriors.  I definitely recommend this one.  I can't wait to read the next book The Hawk.

Blog Tour: The Hunter by Monica McCarty

Author: Monica McCarty
Publisher: Ballantine
Date of publication: June 2013

Prized for his unbeatable tracking skills, Ewen “Hunter” Lamont accepts a dangerous assignment: locate a missing undercover courier. But this is no ordinary target. Ewen has met his prey before as “Sister Genna,” a fiery, forbidden woman forever etched in his memory after one stolen, sinful kiss. Now that he knows her real identity, he’s more determined than ever to keep her safe. But without the protection of the veil between them, fighting the allure of the beautiful lass may be the toughest battle this extraordinary warrior has ever faced.

After her ill-fated attempt three years ago to rescue her twin sister, Janet of Mar has found salvation acting as a royal messenger—until she surrenders to a darkly handsome warrior whose rough, sensual kisses stir feelings the woman in her can’t deny. But when betrayal leads to danger, and a crucial communiqué is put in jeopardy, Janet has no choice but to put her faith in the hunter who can find anything—perhaps even her heart.

The Hunter is 7th book in The Highland Guard series.  This book is exactly why I am always hesitant to read a series out of order. For me, this was not a stand alone book. I will admit, that I had a hard time keeping my interest in the book because I felt like I was missing back story about the "guard" as a whole.  It felt very history laden and I had a hard time keeping the characters straight initially. I found myself skimming in places. I did like the main characters though. I think Ewen is definitely someone I would want saving my butt over and over.  Janet is a strong female lead who gives Ewen a run for his money. There were some very yummy love scenes between the two.

The book is well written so, I'm not saying it's a bad read.  I think in order to fully appreciate the book, I need to go back and start from the beginning of the series with the first book.  Ms. McCarty does have a recap of what has happened so far (well, up to book 5) on her website.  That might be helpful if you choose to read them out of order. She also has a nice write up of the real historical events to help give context to the series.  I have seen that this series has gotten great reviews as a whole, so I do look forward to starting with The Chief.  I know that fans of the series will enjoy this latest installment.  Check out the tour page for more reviews on The Hunter.

About the author:

Monica McCarty is the bestselling author of The Recruit, The Saint, The Viper, The Ranger, The Hawk, The Chief, the first six books in the Highland Guard series, the Highlander trilogy (Highlander Untamed, Highlander Unmasked, and Highlander Unchained), and the Campbell trilogy (Highland Warrior, Highland Outlaw, and Highland Scoundrel). Her interest in the Scottish clan system began in the most unlikely of places: a comparative legal history course at Stanford Law School. After a short but enjoyable stint as an attorney, she realized that her career as a lawyer set against her husband’s transitory life as a professional baseball player was not exactly a match made in heaven. So she traded in her legal briefs for Scottish historical romances with sexy alpha heroes. Monica McCarty lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their two children.


To connect with Monica, visit her Facebook page.